Pipe handling device



Sept. 15, 1953 B. P. LA MULLE PIPE HANDLING DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1948 INVENTOR. BERNIE ,4 4/1. LA MZ/L L 5 TTO RNEYS' Patented Sept. 15, 1953 PIPE HANDLING DEVICE Bernie P. La Mulle, New Orleans, La., assignor to The Texas Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 18, 1948, Serial No. 49,940

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for handling pipe and more particularly to a device through the use of which stands of pipe in a well. derrick may be held in a desired position and then forced toward the elevator used for lowering and raising a pipe string in a well bore. The principal object of the invention is the provision of a simple device of this type which will hold a substantially vertical stand of pipe firmly in position and which will then, at the will of the derrickman, eject the upper end of the pipe into engagement with the elevator thus relieving the derrickman of considerable effort while at the same time minimizing the danger of accidents.

As is well known to those familiar with well drilling, the lengths or stands of drill pipe or tubing which it is desired to run into the well bore are usually stood on end on the derrick platform, the upper ends of the pipe stands leaning into and supported by one corner of the derrick. These stands of pipe are frequently 90 feet or more in length. A platform often called a monkey board is usually afiixed to the inside of the derrick at an elevation a few feet below the upper ends of the stands of pipe waiting to be run into the well bore. Without the pipe handling device embodying this invention it is necessary for the derrickman who stands upon the elevated platform or board to hold a stand of pipe until the pipe elevator comes up to the proper position when he must force the pipe outward into the elevator. The elevator, as is also well known, is a device on the lower end of the cable which serves to clamp onto the upper end of a stand of pipe below the coupling. After a pipe stand is clamped into the elevator the cable is raised slightly so that the lower end of the pipe stand can be threaded into the upper end of the pipe previously run into the well bore and the upper portion of which is held. by slips slightly above the derrick platform. When the pipe connection is made up the slips at the derrick platform are removed and the cable is lowered so that the pipe string will be run into the well bore a distance equal to the length of one stand of pipe.

In accordance with the present invention the pipe handling device is clamped to the undersurface of the elevated platform or board. and comprises a pair of horizontal pipe engaging fingers between which the derrickman places the upper end of a stand of pipe. As the stand of pipe is placed between the fingers it is pulled backward thus forcing a plunger into its retracted position against the pressure of a compression spring. A latch lever engages the plunger and holds it in its retracted position. The fingers are linked to the plunger so that when the latter is retracted the outer ends of the fingers, which are preferably bent or curved toward each other,

embrace the pipe and hold it securely until the latch is released. When th elevator has been pulled upwardly by the cable to the proper position the derrickman steps upon one end of the latch lever thus releasing the plunger which ejects the upper end of the pipe stand toward and into engagement with the elevator, which the derrickman then latches. Another stand of pipe is then placed in the device and the operation is repeated as soon as the previous pipe stand has been run into the well bore and the elevator again raised to the proper position.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the lower portion of a derrick showing a thribble of pipe in position in the handling device ready to be moved into engagement with the elevator;

Fig. 2 is a plan view with the platform broken away;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device with a portion of the platform removed; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation with the plunger and its supporting bracket in section.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 shows the lower portion of a derrick it having a working platform [2 and an elevated platform or monkey board [4 secured thereto at an elevation somewhat below the upper end of a pipe stand I6 resting at its lower end upon the working platform. For purposes of clarity but on stand of pipe is shown but it is understood that several stands will be positioned so as to lean into the corner of the derrick until ready to be used. In this case, the pipe stand is illustrated as a thribble, i. e., the stand is made up of three pipe lengths or sections threaded together by means of the couplings IS. The cable 2i! suspended within the derrick from a pulley, not shown, has attached to its lower end a clamping device 22 usually termed an elevator, this device, as is well known, comprising a pair of hinged elements adapted to be clamped around the pipe stand it just below the upper coupling I8 and a latch mechanism which the derrickman manipulates to secure the elevator to the pipe stand.

With reference to Figs. 2, 4., a pair of brackets 24 which may be sections of angle-iron are attached by of bolts to the undersurface of the elevated platform i i. Nelded through holes in the brackets 24 are a pair of short pieces of pipe 28 and mounted within these short lengths of pipe is a longer piece of pipe, or shaft 35. which serves as a sup ort for the pipe handling device. Along the side of the shaft 39 facing toward the middle of the derrick is a series of spaced holes 32, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter. Set screws 3 threaded into the pipe pieces 28 can be set to hold the which a plunger or ram 42 is adapted to slide at right angles to the supporting pipe 38. A compression spring 44 disposed between the inner end of the plunger :2 and pipe 38 serves to force the plunger outwardly into the position shown in Figs, 2 and 4. The plunger 42 has ainxed to its projecting end. a plate 58 with its outer edge curved as at to fit the exterior of the pipe 18. A latch lever pivoted between lugs 52 on the upper side of the sleeve 48 has a depending portion 54 adapted to engage the outer end of the plunger when the latter is retracted within the cylinder against the pressure of the spring M. A. small compression spring 56 set in a boss 58 on the upper plate biases the lever 58 toward its latching position. As is shown in Fig. 3 the other end 68 of the latch lever projects upwardly a short distance above the platform 14 through an opening 62 provided therein.

A pair of fingers are pivoted by means of bolts 88 to the supporting bracket plates 38 and extend outwardly substantially horizontally toward the center of the derrick. The projecting ends of the fingers are preferably curved or bent as in in order to embrace the pipe stand 15. Each of the fingers 8 3 is pivotally connected by means of an arm or link '58 to the plunger plate 48, one end of each link being connected to an ear l2 rigidly secured to the outer surface of its respective finger. When the pipe is is placed by the derrickman against the curved edge of the extended plunger plate the ends of the fingers will be separated due to the provision of the links 78. When the derrickman pulls the pipe stand i backward the plunger 42 is forced into its retracted position against the pressure of the spring and. the latch 5d will engage the outer edge of the plunger to hold it in the retracted position. During this movement the ends of the fingers 8 3 will move toward each other thereb embracing the pipe stand. when the derrickman wishes to move the upper end of the pipe stand into engagement with the elevator 24 he merely presses upon the end 68 of the lever 5i! whereupon the spring 44 will force the plunger 42 and the upper end of the pipe stand into clamping engagement with the elevator.

A U-shaped rod Hi having a depending outer portion it has sliding engagement in a pair of ears '58 secured to the sides of the sleeve 48 and a compression spring 88 is disposed between each of the ears l3 and a pin 82 projecting from the rod 34. The inner ends 84 of the U-shaped rod i i are adapted to fit within a pair of the holes 2 in the shaft 3% and thus serve to maintain the fingers S t, plunger 42, etc, in horizontal position. When the device is not to be used any longer the derrickman will reach under the platform E i grasping the outer end. 18 of the rod 14, will pull it outwardly against the force of the springs 88 thus pulling the inner ends 84 out of the holes so that the entire device may then hang downwardly from the shaft 39 out of the way. When the device is to be placed in use the derrickman will pull it upwardly into its horizontal position and while holding the rod l4 outwardly of the holes 32 will move the device along the shaft 38 until it is opposite the elevator 22 whereupon the inner ends 84 of the rod will be made to engage in the proper holes 32.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device adapted to be attached to a platform in a well derrick equipped with an elevator for engaging and lowering pipe stands into a well bore, comprising a supporting shaft mounted on said platform, a bracket slidably mounted on said shaft, means for securing said bracket rigidly to said shaft at a predetermined position along the length of the shaft, a pair of pipe engaging fin ers pivotally mounted on said bracket and extending toward the center of the derrick, a sleeve member secured to said. bracket between said fingers, a ram slidably disposed in said sleeve member and adapted to engage a pipe stand previously positioned between the fingers, spring means in said sleeve tending to force said ram and pipe stand outwardly of said fingers, latch means adapted to engage and hold said ram in its retracted position, and a linkage connecting each of said fingers with said ram so that when the rain is latched in its retractedposition the outer ends of the fingers will engage and hold the pipe stand against the projecting end of the ram and when the latch is released the spring will force the ram outwardly, disengaging said fingers from the pipe stand and forcing the pipe stand toward said elevator.

2. A device adapted to be attached to a platform in a well derrick equipped with an elevator for engaging and lowering pipe stands into the well bore, comprising a supporting shaft provided v.1. n series of spaced holes mounted on said platform, a bracket slidably mounted on said shaft, a pair of pipe engaging fingers pivotally mounted on said bracket and extending toward the center of the derrick, a sleeve member secured to said bracket between said fingers, a ram slidably disposed in said sleeve nember and adapted to engage a pipe stand previously positioned between the fingers, a compression spring in said sleeve tending to force said ram and pipe stand outwardly of said fingers, latch means adapted to engage and hold said ram in its retracted position, an arm pivotally connecting each of said fingers with said ram so that when the ram is latched in its retracted position the outer ends of the fingers will engage and hold the pipe stand against the projecting end of the ram and when the latch is released the spring will force the ram outwardly, disengaging said fingers from the pipe stand and forcing the pipe stand toward said elevator, and a rod slidably mounted on said bracket and adapted to engage predetermined ones of the holes in said shaft for locking the bracket to said shaft in a desired position with respect to said elevator.

BERNIE P. LA MULLE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 528,303 Drew Sept. 18, 1894 1,666,946 Winn Feb. 28, 1928 2,182,653 Umphres June 13, 1939 2,413,297 Deekert Dec. 31, 1946 2,416,815 Calhoun Mar, 4, 1947 2,418,728 Sanders Apr. 8, 1947 

